MUTANT MOUSE REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTER AT UNC
The purpose of the MMRRC is to act as a repository for mutant strains of mice.
The UNC center is one of four collaborating centers functioning as a single, multi-site repository and informatics center for mouse lines of interest for the research community.
The MMRRC program is supported by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH, DHSS). The purpose of the program is to ensure the continued availability of scientifically valuable, genetically engineered mice and to distribute these mice to qualified researchers studying human and animal biology and disease. A national network of regional cryopreservation, breeding and distribution centers serves as NIH's premier repository of spontaneous and induced mutant mouse lines. www.mmrrc.org
The centers accept strain submissions after review by a strain selection committee. The accepted strains are cryopreserved and made available worldwide, on demand, from the cryoarchive. Breeding colonies of high demand strains are established to fulfill orders. Strain products which may be available are: live mice, cryopreserved embryos, cryopreserved sperm, and ES cells.
Each center also conducts research to improve current methods for resuscitation of cryopreserved strains. Additional research provides information that is relevant to resources maintained within the MMRRC. Research contributes to the areas of assisted reproduction, cryobiology, genetic analysis, phenotyping and infectious disease diagnostics.
Each MMRRC center provides the following services:
Investigator information
Donating investigator: An investigator who submits a strain or strains for repositing in the MMRRC
Benefits
Requirements for submission of a strain:
Requesting Investigator: An investigator who places a request for a strain held in the MMRRC
Benefits
Requirements for requesting a strain:
- Go to the website www.mmrrc.org
- Select catalog and distribution menu item, search for strain of interest
- Follow instructions for filling out request form and MTA form and submit
MMRRC UNC information
Strains held at UNC
Strains are available from the cryoarchive. Breeding colonies for the strains are generally not kept unless the strain is in high demand. When an order is received frozen material is used to generate live mice or frozen embryos may be requested instead.
ES Cell Library Other holdings at UNC
UNC Library of Mutagenized ES Cells
Contact: rex_williams@med.unc.edu
A clonal library of ~2000 ENU mutagenized ES cells has been deposited with the UNC-MMRRC. We invite requests form the community to screen the library for allelic series of mutations in genes of interest. In creating the library, UNC Chapel Hill investigators have developed a strategy for ENU mutagenesis of mouse ES cells that utilizes point mutation identification in genes of interest detected via PCR in combination with Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC) or temperature-gradient capillary electrophoresis (TGCE) platforms, and transmission of mutations through the germline to obtain allelic series. (Nature Genetics 24, 314-317, 2000; PNAS 99, 15542-15547, 2002; Mammalian Genome 17, 211-219, 2006) Investigators can expect approximately 10 independent point mutations for each gene screened.
We will be able to accomodate a limited number of requests, which will be handled on a first come-first served basis.
Other services MMRRC UNC (available only as MMRRC work schedule allows)
contact for additional information: mmrrc@med.unc.edu
USEFUL LINKS
Mouse Genome Informatics http://www.informatics.jax.org
International Mouse Strain Resource http://www.informatics.jax.org/imsr
Federation of International Mouse Resources http://www.fimre.org/